General Information
Fleet size (2008-2009) – 450 buses

Number of buses running daily – 356

Number of bus routes – 1,497

Transportation employs - 580 employees; 410 drivers, and 105 bus attendants

Total fleet mileage July 31, 2007 to July 31, 2008 - 6,271,324 miles

Routes are evaluated periodically to ensure the most efficient use of the buses and to reduce deadhead mileage (mileage driven without students).

Fuel
All FWISD buses are diesel fueled

FWISD cost is based on OPIS Pad 3, Dallas Metro Rack pricing.

FWISD does not pay tax.

Average cost for a gallon of diesel for the week of October 20-24, 2008 was $2.46.

FWISD is always investigating alternative fuels and technologies; biodiesel, propane, and hybrid buses.

Parts and Lubricants
FWISD budgeted $2,200,000 for Transportation fuel & oil (petroleum products) for the 2007-2008 school year.  The final fuel & oil budget deficit for 2007/2008 is $2,995,768

All commodities used by Transportation have increased in cost due to oil price increases; fuel, oil, lube, grease, steel, parts, utilities, etc.

FWISD budgeted $594,000 for vehicle parts for the 2007-2008 school year. The final parts budget for 2007/2008 is $946,102.

Bus Replacement
Our oldest buses are 1991 model Blue Bird Buses – 24

District is attempting to maintain a 12 year fleet replacement schedule, but the rising cost of buses may affect the schedule. The 12 year fleet replacement schedule requires the purchase of 35 buses per year. Our current cost for a bus is $82,333 (summer 2008), the cost of a bus in the summer of 2006 was $71,546.

The District’s newest buses are 2009 model International, Thomas and Mid Bus buses.  69 were delivered and placed in service between 03/12/2008 and 09/30/2008.  Eight additional new buses are on order

Emissions
The FWISD is regularly investigating cost effective emission reduction technologies.

The new buses purchased have approximately 90% less emissions than the older buses. 

FWISD has installed emission reduction equipment on 239 older buses through a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

The District has a “No Idle” policy and drivers cannot coast to save fuel. Texas Transportation Code545.406.  COASTING.  (a)  An operator moving on a downgrade may not coast with the gears or   transmission of the vehicle in neutral.(b)  An operator of a truck, tractor, or bus moving on a downgrade may not coast with the clutch disengaged.

Radar Detectors
Around 2000-2001 a company donated a system call “Safety Alert Traffic Warning Transmitters” manufactured by Cobra Electronics to the District. The systems set off radar detectors near the school buses to slow down vehicles around school buses. The signal sent out by the system is the frequency of K-band traffic radars.

The model number of the units is XT-1000S. They have been fully certified by the FCC under rules pt. 15 as a low power communication device transmitter using 24050-24250 MHZ. FCC I.D. is BBOXT1000.

Not all the buses have the systems installed. The buses that have the units can be identified by looking for two small rectangular black boxes (4”X 3”) mounted on the driver’s side of the roof at the front and back of the bus.

Driver training includes:

• Defensive Driving
• Payroll
• Mapsco (map reading)
• Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training – This Nonviolent Crisis Intervention training  teaches staff to respond effectively to the warning signs that someone is beginning to lose control, how to take control of and out-of-control situation with nonviolent crisis intervention, and also addresses how staff can deal with their own stress, anxieties, and emotions when confronted with these challenging situations.
• Bus Evacuations
• Risk Management (safety, accident, and injury mitigation strategies)
• Policy and Procedure up-dates
• District Benefits
• Route Selection 
• Safety
• Seat Belts - Since 1998 FWISD has required/used lap belts - so most buses have lap belts. As of 2007, Type A buses (small 18 passenger) ordered are equipped with the three-point, lap-and-shoulder seat belts.

Maintenance
Transportation performs regularly scheduled maintenance to maintain optimum vehicle performance and fuel mileage.

Buses receive a preventive maintenance inspection (PM) every 6,000 miles as well a summer inspection every summer.

The buses receive a pre-trip and post trip inspection twice every day.

Miles Driven - Over the past six (6) years the FWISD bus fleet has traveled 40,323,302 miles without a maintenance related accident.

Transportation Fleet Maintenance has a mechanic to bus ratio of 1 to 21, one mechanic for every twenty one buses.